This is just a quick post on Patagonia clothing company. I was at the Outdoor Retailer Show this last weekend and was invited to the Patagonia Press Conference. There I found out about a new program that the company is launching. It is called the Common Threads Recycling Program. Patagonia is asking customers to return worn out Capilene base layers to them to be recycled and made into new base layers. It was nice to hear that a company is trying to reduce their bad impact on the environment. When mailing your old garments straight to Patagonia, you will be saving energy by 76% and CO2 emissions by 71% versus creating fiber from new materials. Patagonia has always been a leader in the industry to make changes that are more beneficial to the environment. I just wanted to mention this as a heads up to watch for this program at your local shops.

It's an excellent step, and more than just a little admirable. The fact that Pata-gucci can turn recycling and wate reduction into a "smart business decision" gives the industry at large agood example to follow.

They started 1% for the Planet, a program in which business volunteer to give 1% of their sales to environmental causes. Some other businesses are following suit...it's a damn good idea and something to brag about. Patagonia gives out millions of dollars and really helped out a group in my area try to fight an Orange County land developer from building mansions on some really fragile coastline west of Santa Barbara.

I too swear by Patagonia products and still have fleeces and nitro pants/jacket 10+ years old. I am in the raw material side of the apparel industry and think that it should be noted that Polyester Resin (the raw material that polyester is derived from) is at an all time high. With current events in the Gulf States (where all the drilling and PET cracking facilities are located) PET resin suppliers have declared a "force majeure" in the market place. This means that PET has suddenly become quite expensive AND hard to come by. There is no way that Patagonia could have known this would happen but it should be noted that not only is this program enviromentaly PC but fiscally positive for the company.

i love stuff from patagonia but all that enviromentaly friendly stuff comes with a price. they make great clothing but its expensive! i don't have the money to buy their stuff half the time. if they lowered their prices i'd never buy anything from anyone else. oh well